1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wagering devices and methods, and novel wagering systems and methods related to big wheel or candy wheel type games.
2. Background of the Art
One of the more common wagering devices that has remained popular over the years is the spinning wheel, also known as the candy wheel. One of the more common upright spinning wheel devices in the gaming industry is the Big 6 wheel, in which usually six different types of symbols are distributed randomly about a wheel, each of the symbols being present in different proportions or frequencies on the wheel. The different symbols are either physically or virtually (in electronic format) separated from each other by pegs, and a usually fixed position pointer is used to determine the game event outcome, with the pointer identifying the symbol resulting from the game spin.
One common variant of this game is a large wheel with more than 30 spaces available on the face of the wheel, and each space is identified with a specific denomination of currency. In the US, for example, the wheel will have slots of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 and $50 (for example). A wager is placed on a specific denomination (e.g., a $1.00 or more wager) and if the correct denomination is chosen for the result of the spin, the wager is resolved proportionally to the wager and the denomination. That is, for a $2.00 wager on the $5 outcome, the payout would be $2.00.times.$5, or $10.00. The distribution and number of denomination symbols is such that there is a built in house advantage. The statistical long-range frequency of $1 appearing is less than 1:1, and so forth, through the statistical long-range frequency of the $50 denomination outcome being less than 1:50.
Numerous variations of these types of games have been tried. U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,061 (Jackson) discloses an apparatus and method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising: for a single play of a game: enabling a wager to be placed on a payline; causing a display device to display a plurality of areas, each of said areas divided into a plurality of sub-areas; for at least one but less than all of the sub-areas of each of the areas, randomly determining a symbol from a plurality of different symbols into display in said sub-area, and causing the display device to display said randomly determined symbol in said sub-area; for each of said areas, randomly determining one of the sub-areas of each of the areas which defines the payline, and causing the display device to display an indication of said randomly determined sub-areas which define the payline, wherein for each of said areas, the random determination of any symbol to display in any sub-area of said area is separate from the random determination of which sub-area of said area defines the payline; and determining if any randomly determined and displayed symbols in the sub-areas which define the payline are one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations, and if any randomly determined and displayed symbols along the payline are one of said plurality of winning symbol combinations, causing the display device to display an award for said winning symbol combination.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,622,808 (Pececnik) describes a wagering game is played with three wheels having three parallel but not coincident axes of rotation. Each wheel is spun so they are spinning at the same time. Wagers are placed on any one, two or three of the spinning wheels to predict outcomes of symbol identification on each of the wheels. Each wheel may be similar to a Big 6 wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,152,171 (Miltenberger) discloses a gaming device including at least one wagering station and a rotor. The rotor supports a series of symbols arranged about a center. The rotor also supports a series of landings arranged adjacent to the series of symbols. In operation, at least one ball travels along the rotor and eventually reaches a landing. One or more of the elements of the gaming device has a designated shape, construction or function to enable designated operations of a primary game, a secondary outcome determiner or a combination thereof.
Other variations are shown in Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20050215307 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,233) and Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20040077398 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,255 (Jarvis), “Multiple wheel roulette game.”